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Local elections: what you think

essexjournalism.com spoke to students, workers and visitors on the University of Essex campus

Steve Winn, 49, security guard
Steve Winn, 49, a member of the university security staff, said: “I will continue to support the Conservatives locally as they’ve done a pretty good job so far. I don’t think young people are interested in the local elections because they don’t know what’s happening locally to them.”

James Robinson, 20, Philosophy
James Robinson, 20, a philosophy student, said: “I’m registered in two places for local elections although I’m not sure that’s necessarily legal. I think young people should most definitely take more of an interest in the elections. I’m voting Labour or Lib Dem because I tend to be more liberal economically and socially.”

Christopher Page, 19, Accounting and FinanceChristopher Page, 19, studying accounting and finance, said: I’m not registered to vote but if I voted it would be Conservative because my mum and dad are Conservative supporters. Conservatives are in charge now… right?

Alex Wittington, 23, MA FilmAlex Wittington, 23, an MA Film student, said: “I’ll probably vote Labour because I don’t think politics is going to work but on the Mickey Mouse idea that it does they’ll probably be the ones to do it and I’m a socialist. Young people are getting more and more into mainstream politics and Jeremy Corbyn is pushing that but in terms of local government there should be more involvement. The more politics effect people’s lives, the more people are going to get involved.”

John Mcdermott, 21, MA FilmJohn Mcdermott, 21, an MA Film Student, said: “I’ll be voting Labour because I’m a socialist. If you asked me a year ago I would say that people were quite apathetic towards politics and getting quite complacent with that things are never going to change. The disappointment of brexit has led hundreds of thousands of young people to register to vote, which is really weird.”

Chris Baxter, 50, businessman
Chris Baxter, 50, took a pessimistic view on the local election. He said: “I’m not going to vote, over the year’s politics just bats you down, my vote counts for nothing. But things are changing, it’s the first time that politics has been interesting for a very long time. I’m a Thatcher baby. When it comes to young people voting you should make your own minds up, listen to the news, read the newspapers and come to a conclusion on your own.”

Andrew Thompson, 48, businessman
Andrew Thompson, 48, who currently works for a business in Norwich, said: “I will be voting Lib Dem as the candidate does good things around the area and they stick up for the residents. Young people don’t know what’s going on around them.”